Haryana Issues Tender for Solar Power Projects worth 20 MW

In a strong bid to increase its stake in the renewable energy sector, the Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) has announced a tender for 20 MW of ground-mounted solar power projects. The projects are to be installed at the Old Ash Dyke in Faridabad Thermal Power Station (FTPS), Faridabad. The last date for the submission of bids is November 26, 2019, while the tentative date for the opening of the technical bids is November 29, 2019.

The scope of work includes the design, engineering, procurement, supply, construction, commissioning, and operation and maintenance for five years, which is extendable for another five more years. Interested bidders need to pay a sum of Rs 20 million as the earnest money deposit (EMD). As far as the technical criteria are concerned, the successful bidder should have the experience of design, supply, installation and commissioning of at least two solar power projects in India of 5 MW capacity or more and which have been successfully commissioned after January 1, 2012. Additionally, the project must be in operation since the last year.

The other criteria mentioned in the tender is that the bidder should have an experience of design, supply, installation, and commissioning of solar photovoltaic-based grid-connected power projects of a cumulative installed capacity of 25 MW or above in or outside India. The successful bidder’s average annual turnover in the last three consecutive financial years should be at least Rs 100 million. According to an HPGCL official, this tender is in addition to the 57 MW tender, which HPGCL had earlier issued in September 2019.

Predominantly an agricultural and industrial state in North India, Haryana is home to several large cities of industrial and commercial importance like Gurgaon, Faridabad, Chandigarh and more. Reputed for its numerous manufacturing plants, Haryana is ranked as one of the most economically developed states in the country. A large section of the state belongs to the NCR (National Capital Region) corridor that has seen significant industrial growth in the last decade. It is also one of the fastest growing states when it comes to solar energy production in North India. Several corporations including Amazon, Mahindra, Vatika Group, Showa India, Botil Oil Tools, Fortis Healthcare, amongst others, have installed rooftop solar plants in their respective plants in the state.

The Government of India has set an ambitious target of 100 GW of solar power in the country by 2022. According to the Department of Renewable Energy, Government of Haryana, the state of Haryana has set a target of 3,200 MW of solar power to be generated by the year 2021-22.  The current installed and commissioned solar capacity of the state is 73.27 MW. The HAREDA (Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency) is undertaking several projects to boost the production of solar power in the state like installing a solar plant of capacity 45 KW in Haryana Raj Bhawan, and smaller solar plants of capacities 4.5 KW at district collectorates around the state.

One of Haryana’s mass rapid public transport systems, Rapid Metro in Gurugram has set up a solar power plant with a capacity of 403 KW on site. Apart from these, the state is also focusing on boosting solar production with solar water heating schemes, solar cookers, street lighting run by solar power, solar water pumps, solar home lighting and more. The state government also offers a 90% subsidy to farmers who use solar water pumps.